This is fun, I’ve played with lights before but need to learn more!
To follow instructios “… see the board and pieces” and still play around I made several attempts.
This is the most straight forward, A spot and ambient lighting setting in World.
But to dramatize it a bit I let it fade into the shadows and play with the resolution, I use Subdivision modifier and shut down the World lighting entirely.
Nope, SubSurf on piece is not 100%… trying to improve.
… slightly better 